Favourite music with religious themes

[Statilius the Epicurean]

Let's hear em. Obviously this is too large a topic to do any justice to in a single post so I'll keep things circumspect.

The Pange lingua plainchant is I think the most voluptuous, beguiling melody ever written. Extremely mystical to my ears, in a good way.

Josquin's Inviolata had the honour of being at the head of the first ever book of sacred music printed in Europe, and it was deserved. So lovely, so beautiful and sincere. The verse beginning "O bengina,", man. Simply the most perfect motet ever written.

Ockeghem's Missa Prolationum is just an astonishing achievement of musical architecture. The entire point of the composition is that each four voices are singing in different time signatures throughout, yet somehow combining to produce such incredible beautiful harmonies. It's not even a dry exercise in technique is the thing, it's just so beautiful and sublime at the same time. Probably greatest musical achievement of the entire Renaissance.

Idk what there is to say about Rachmaninoff's All Night Vigil. It's just beautiful. I had him stereotyped as a slightly vulgar bangy Romantic pianist until I heard his sacred works. Words fail me here.

To keep it from being so Eurocentric, this great worship song for Ganesha. There's lots of highly recommended devotional music from northern India but I find the Carnatic style of singing more congenial to my culturally alien ears than what one finds in Hindustani music.

[afleitch]

This. Simply because I sung it nearly every day for most of my formative years, had the right cadence for it and it's a beautiful piece of music.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

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[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Oh and obviously:

[Wikipedia delenda est]

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[brucejoel99]

In the Bible Cain slew Abel
And East of Eden, Momma, he was cast
You're born into this life paying
For the sins of somebody else's past.
My daddy worked his whole life, for nothing but the pain
Now he walks these empty rooms, looking for something to blame
You inherit the sins, you inherit the flames
Adam raised a Cain.

[vitoNova]

U2

[Florian Geyer]

Trouble is my favorite Christian metal band. They make actually good Christian metal that doesn't suck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO_pHzDiS0c&ab_channel=drakkon8

[Kleine Scheiße]

All music is religious music.

But, I realize what you mean -- a few favorites:

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The original concept album of Jesus Christ Superstar remains my favorite piece of religious music, bar none.

[T'Chenka]

Flyleaf - I'm So Sick

Dream Theater - In The Presence Of Enemies

Kamelot - Soul Society

[Kingpoleon]

I the lord of sea and sky
I have heard my people cry
All who dwell in dark and sin
My hand will save

I have made the stars of night
I will make their darkness bright
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?

Here I am Lord
Is it I Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night
I will go Lord
If You lead me
I will hold Your people in my heart

I the lord of wind and flame
I will tend the poor and lame
I will set a feast for them
My hand will save

Finest bread I will provide
Till their hearts be satisfied
I will give my life to them
Whom shall I send?

[SnowLabrador]

There's quite a lot of it, even though I'm an atheist.

[John Dule]

All Star - Smash Mouth

[jaymichaud]